organisation

By bringing together contemporary art and heritage, the Oude Kerk adds new pages to (art) history.

a place of pilgrimage for lovers of contemporary art

The Oude Kerk commissions international artists to create exceptional projects that have a special relationship with the monumental church and its red-light district surroundings. From radical changes to respectful tributes. This way of working distinguishes the Oude Kerk from the institutions in the rest of Amsterdam, both in the field of contemporary art and historical heritage. There are no walls between the past and the present, we demonstrate the connection of all times in a high-profile programme that focusses on contemporary art. In the coming years, the Oude Kerk aspires to further excel in the monumental experiment in dialogue with artists, visitors and surroundings – adding new pages to (art) history.

The Oude Kerk is the oldest building in Amsterdam, consecrated in 1306 as the Roman Catholic St Nicholas Church. The iconoclasm raged here in 1566. In the following years the church slowly gained a serene, sober appearance as a consequence of the new religious ideas. In the course of numerous centuries, the Oude Kerk was built, enlarged and renovated until it achieved its current characteristic form. To realize its present programme and sustainable upkeep, the Oude Kerk is reliant on entry fees and donations by public and private partners. The Oude Kerk has been given a cultural ANBI status (as an organization that benefits the public) by the Dutch government.